A PAPER DELIVERED BY YEMI KOLAPO, FSCA, PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF THE POINT NEWSPAPER, AT THE INAUGURAL LECTURE & AWARDS OF RADIO NIGERIA BRONZE FM, EDO STATE. 3RD MARCH, 2022
I would like to start by thanking the organisers of this Lecture and Awards ceremony for inviting me as Guest Lecturer. This is an honour I do not take for granted.
The theme of this conference – Deepening Democracy: The Role of the Media – at this point in the history of Nigeria’s democracy, is apt. One cannot over-emphasise the place of the media profession in any democracy, especially a growing one like ours.
In fact, Thomas Carlyle, the 19th century historian who attributed the use of the phrase, the Media as the Fourth Estate in Democracy to Edmund Burke, says the rights of the people in choosing their leaders is greatly affected by what is said in the press.
The general notion of that ideology is that the media plays an important role in the society NOT ONLY as a source of information, but also as a watchdog or, as some say, scrutiniser. This fourth pillar (the media) is critical to any democracy in which the government is accountable to the people. Therefore we can boldly say that the media is central to the development of any democracy and democratic society.
Nigeria, like other democracies, took into cognizance the role of the media in the advancement of a progressive society and went on to give constitutional backing to it.
The 1999 Constitution did not only guarantee every Nigerian freedom of expression and freedom to own, establish and operate any media platform for the dissemination of information, ideas and opinions. It also gave the media the responsibility to monitor governance and hold the government accountable.
This therefore gives us, the media, the role of generating a democratic culture that extends beyond the political system to become ingrained in the public consciousness over time.
Since it is the responsibility of the media in any democratic setting to supply political information that voters base their decisions on, it then becomes very important that the media must identify the problems in any society and serve as a medium for deliberation.
In 2017, an American movie, titled, “The Post” was made to critical reviews. Set in 1971, The Post as a movie depicted the true story of attempts by journalists at The Washington Post to publish the infamous Pentagon Papers, a set of classified documents regarding the 20-year involvement of the United States government in the Vietnam War and earlier in French Indochina, back to the 1940s. This expose by the Post ultimately led to the resignation of President Nixon of the United States of America.
This is just a global example of how the media serves as watchdogs that we rely on for uncovering errors and wrongdoings by those who have power. Real occurrences as this also abound in Nigeria. However, currently, there are very few journalists who have the time to chase controversial, nation-building investigative reports.
Freedom of expression
If there is no freedom of expression, if people are not free to share information and express a range of ideas, opinions and political views, if people are not free to receive information in the form of a range of ideas, opinions and political views, they will not be sufficiently informed to make appropriate and meaningful political choices, whether at the ballot box or in their interactions with government generally.
Democracy cannot exist in any meaningful way without the right to freedom of expression. In order for democracy to be effective, the citizens who vote in elections and engage in public processes with the government must be well informed and must have the right to participate freely in public discourse.
Enabling environment
The media can play a positive role in democracy only if there is an enabling environment that allows them to do so. Therefore, it behoves on the government to create such an environment. Professionals need the requisite skills for the kind of in-depth reporting that a growing democracy requires.
Here, we need the Government and other capable, well-meaning Nigerians to help in the way of capacity building for specialized beats and indeed all beats to ensure constructive, unbiased, informed reportage by media professionals. In the area of politics, I would want to commend His Excellency, the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, for identifying this gap in specific beats and organising a first-of-its-kind annual workshop for crime and politics correspondents and editors last year. Another one, I’ve been told, will hold in the next few weeks. If other Governors, elected officials and leaders in general key into media empowerment of this kind, we would be helping to build a fairer society nurtured by confident reporters.
There should, however, be mechanisms to ensure that leaders are held accountable to the public and that ethical and professional standards are upheld.
Media independence
Media independence is guaranteed if media organizations are financially viable, somewhat free from intervention of media owners, absolutely free from state intervention, and also when they operate in a competitive environment.
The media should also be accessible to as wide a segment of the society as possible. Efforts to help the media should be directed towards the protection of press rights, enhancing media accountability, building media capacity as has been said and democratising media access.
Building independent media in developing countries requires more than freedom of speech, skilled journalists or strong business management skills. Enabling independent media to perform the crucial roles of being a watchdog over government and educating people about the issues that affect their lives also requires supporting organizations such as trade unions and professional associations for journalists. Public education about these roles and responsibilities and functions of the media in a democratic and open society is key for the country and democracy to thrive.
Therefore, if a democracy is to run smoothly in any country, the media in all fairness must be truly autonomous. There should be the free hand to air same or opposing views without any unnecessary restrictions or penalties.
The media, also on its part, should play a very responsible, active and neutral role in discharging its duties without being influenced by any particular political party or individuals. If the media does not discharge its responsibility independently in any democratic country, the politicians are bound to behave like dictators or even worse than them. We do not wish to have such a dangerous situation in our dear country, Nigeria.
Therefore, the media carries with it a huge responsibility in a democratic setup, which it has to fulfill very carefully without any bias toward anyone by bringing out real, not ‘doctored’ facts before the public.
It is logical to say that democracy is meaningless without a free, neutral and active media. If democracy is the government for the people, by the people, for the people then the role of “people” in the government set-up, as stakeholders, must be protected by the media.
This is the reason the media is often referred to as the fourth branch of government because of the power it wields on behalf of the people and the oversight function professionals exercise. This key role in democratic governance has been recognised since the late 17th Century, and remains a fundamental principle of modern-day democratic theory and practice.
The role of the press as ‘watchdog’ is a traditional characterization of the role of the news media in particular. This watchdog role can take many forms depending on the nature of the medium concerned, as well as on the state of democracy and development in a particular country. Essentially, this role is to provide information, to be the ‘eyes and ears’ of the public in monitoring what is happening in public life by reporting on daily events as they unfold.
It is said, and I agree, that a free press and the practice of democracy contribute greatly to bringing out information that can have an enormous impact on policies for deprivation prevention. A free press and an active political opposition constitute the best early-warning system a country threatened by deprivation could have.
The media has done a commendable job, from time to time, in making people aware of the harsh realities of life, exposing corruption prevalent in our society, and increasing the awareness level among the people.
But I want to say here that more still needs to be done. How, for instance, are we shaping opinions and setting agenda ahead of the 2023 elections? Are we waiting to be fed news items without verification or are we taking the bull by the horn and dusting up the archives to call out those not fit to rule? Are we just going to fold our arms and let recycled and tired leaders dictate the pace at which Nigeria must advance in a country populated by a super intelligent younger generation with fresh ideas? Or are we going to lead the struggle for a Nigeria of our dreams by helping the right people climb to the seat of power through the re-orientation of our pens and voices? The choice should be ours. But if you asked, I would say we would be laying a strong democratic foundation for generations unborn if we assumed the last posture.
Yes, the media should be neutral in airing views, but it should also strongly desist from airing such views that can adversely affect communal harmony and give rise to deep suspicion, tension and senseless violence, which could eventually lead to the loss of innocent lives as we have witnessed in recent times in Nigeria.
Linked to its general educational role is the more controversial role the media can also play as an advocate of good governance as well as a reporter of the current state of democracy in the society and nation. Some consider this role controversial because it envisages the media professional as both an advocate and impartial reporter.
In this role, the media comments on issues of the day and advocates improved democratic practices and good governance. In this advocacy role, the media sees itself firmly on the side of the ordinary citizen, whose life can be improved or worsened depending on how public authority is exercised. This advocacy role is also closely linked to the watchdog role of the media; however, it goes further. The media as advocates will report not only on what is happening but on what should be happening. The media in many developing countries is almost forced to play this role because improving basic human living conditions cannot happen without democratic practices and good governance.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the media acts as a catalyst for democracy and development, helping to make public participation meaningful. If the media is honest and committed to its job, democracy is bound to function more efficiently and the loopholes present in any democratic system can certainly be plugged to the full satisfaction of the people.
On the contrary, if the media is biased, corrupt and favours only a particular party or few individuals, it can prove to be very dangerous for the smooth functioning of democracy.
No one is perfect; one can only strive. The same holds true for our media. Unfortunately, in a society like ours, where media practitioners are, largely, not well remunerated, the danger of a compromised media is more pronounced. Here, the media sector needs urgent intervention in order to breed truly independent, confident and constructive practitioners.
Beyond these, the media must inculcate the spirit of tolerance of all shades of opinion, and promote social justice based on the responsibilities and rights of individuals in the society.
We have a ‘litmus test’ right now in our hands – the 2023 elections. Let us decide here and now to set the agenda, and I assure you, our politicians will key in.
Thank you for your attention.